The NBA is moving forward with an ambitious project that could change the landscape of world basketball: the creation of a European league under its structure and in collaboration with FIBA. According to George Aivazoglou, general manager of NBA Europe, the tournament is scheduled to begin in October 2027 and will feature 16 teams, although not all spots will be filled in its inaugural season. “We could describe it as a semi-inauguration,” Aivazoglou noted during a conference in Milan, explaining that 12 franchises would be permanent and four others would qualify through their national leagues or via the FIBA ??Basketball Champions League. The most likely countries to host teams include Great Britain (London or Manchester), France (Paris and Lyon), Spain (Madrid and Barcelona), Italy (Rome and Milan), Germany (Munich and Berlin), Greece (Athens), and Turkey (Istanbul). So far, the NBA has not officially announced any agreements with any city, although talks with investors and local clubs are already underway. A hybrid model with global reach. The plan seeks to integrate the NBA's management style with the European competitive format. Aivazoglou emphasized that the ranking system based on results in national leagues would be "the most exciting part of the plan," since, according to him, "today's national leagues are not necessarily what they were 20 or 30 years ago." Furthermore, the organization is evaluating the possibility of an intercontinental tournament, in which European and NBA teams would compete, similar to the FIFA Club World Cup. "One of the things we will probably do very soon after launching this league is create a new tournament," the executive revealed. The expansion into Europe is not an improvised move. In March, the NBA and FIBA ??officially announced their collaboration, and shortly thereafter hired JPMorgan Chase and Raine Group as financial and strategic advisors. Among the European clubs that have shown interest or are included in the initial plans are Real Madrid, Fenerbahce, and Barcelona.In addition to renowned sports entities like Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, which could contribute infrastructure or investment.

Aivazoglou confirmed that the NBA could announce further details during the European tour in January, when the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies will play in Berlin and London.

Europe, a key breeding ground for the NBA

The expansion also responds to the enormous European talent in the current league. One in six NBA players comes from the continent, including Nikola Jokic (Serbia), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece), and Luka Doncic (Slovenia), figures who have won five of the last seven MVP awards.

Commissioner Adam Silver explained that his legal team is working on adapting the salary cap and revenue-sharing system to the European framework, a complex but fundamental challenge. “Nothing is easy. There are reasons why this hasn't been done before,” Silver said. “But I think we are prepared for it, and the response has been extraordinary.”